Fife Council is asking local residents, businesses and visitors for their views on the Lammas this year and canvassing showmen and women's opinions on a range of topics from their takings on a typical day to whether it should continue in the town centre, or move to a different venue.

Three areas suggested are the West Sands; Station Park opposite the Old Course Hotel, or St Andrews University playing fields off Buchanan Gardens.

The council has provided Lammas traders with a pre-paid envelope to return the survey to Fife People's Panel Corporate Research at Fife House in Glenrothes.

On the council's Fife Direct website, Keith Jackson, parks and community events officer, hopes to capture the views of a least 400 visitors to the market.

"From the results of the surveys, we will be able to identify what currently works, as well as any areas which could be improved," he said.

The surveys will also be available for completion online until Monday, August 25.

Lifelong Lammas showman Richard Wilmot (42) believes moving the fair away from the town centre would be the end of it. That's a view shared by many of his colleagues.

Showman's Guild office-bearer Victor Reeves, a fourth generation showman now taking a back seat while his daughter runs the family stance in South Street, hadn't seen the survey but recalled a similar proposal around 10 years ago to move the Lammas to the West Sands.

"In all honesty, that would be the ruination of this fair," he said, pointing out that Fife has more street fairs than anywhere else in Scotland.

"The Lammas is a street fair, like the Links Market in Kirkcaldy and the Lammas in Inverkeithing. People like that. We know St Andrews is an old historic town, but the council works hand in hand with us to help try and iron out any problems.

"We try not to annoy people too much. It is a fairground and you will have a bit of noise, but it's only two days a year."

Increased running costs and the current economic climate had hit showmen too, he confirmed, but predicted that: "Like the high street," some businesses might go to the wall but others would survive.

"The average customer has only got 'x' amount of money to spend. Everybody is trying very hard to keep prices down, keep changing and improving equipment, and keep themselves a decent income."